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Japan

Vegetation description

Mangroves are found in the southern part of Japan, scattered throughout the Ryuky Archipelago and reaching as far north as Kiire on the southern Kyushu. This zone represents the northernmost mangroves of Asia, and consists of a small zone of Kandelia candel trees. The mangrove forest is not extensive and mainly concentrated on the islands of Ishigaki and Iriomote, in Okinawa prefecture. Eleven species have been recorded: Avicennia marina, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, Excoecaria agallocha, Heritiera littoralis, Kandelia candel, Lumnitzera racemosa, Nypa fruticans, Rhizophora stylosa, Sonneratia apetala, Pemphis acidula, and Acrostichum aureum. Among the two islands Iriomote has the largest and most diverse communities.

Spalding, M.D., Blasco, F. & Field, C.D., eds. 1997 World Mangrove Atlas. The International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems, Okinawa, Japan. 178 pp.

National level mangrove area estimates

Year

Area
(ha)

Source

Trend

Methodology/Comments

1980

400

Nakasuga, 1980. Personal communication

X

Cited in: Snedaker, S.C. 1984. The mangroves of Asia and Oceania: status and research planning. In: Proceedings of the Asian Mangrove Symposium, eds: Soepadmo, E Rao, AN; McIntosh, DJ. p. 5-15. Percetakan Ardyas Sdn Bhd. Kuala Lumpur, 25-29 August 1980, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Expert estimate.

1986

750

Spalding, M.D., Blasco, F. and Field, C.D., eds. 1997. World Mangrove Atlas. The International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems, Okinawa, Japan. 178 pp.

 

Map analysis. Scale 1:50 000 and approximate distribution maps. According to the authors, the estimate of 400 ha to 500 ha by Baba, personal communication, 1995 likely to be more accurate.

Trends in mangrove area extent over time

No major changes appear to have occurred in this country over the last twenty years.


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